Martial Arts News

Streaming now: Suspect allegedly stabbed doctor in the neck with a bone https://t.co/TbmUSH5ssd

— KUAM News (@kuamnews) November 10, 2021

Professional mixed martial artist Akmal Khozhiev was arrested in Guam after an argument over the COVID-19 vaccination turned deadly.

According to multiple reports, 27-year-old Khozhiev was charged with first-degree felony aggravated murder with a deadly weapon and second-degree aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in connection with the stabbing of Dr. Miran Ribati on Nov. 7 at the Poinciana Apartments in Tamuning, Guam. Bail has been set at $1 million.

“Sir it’s me, I killed him,” Khozhiev allegedly told police prior to his arrest. Ribati was declared dead at the scene.

According to the Guam Daily Post, Khoziev and Ribati, 42, knew each other from a local gym and reportedly returned to Khozhiev’s residence to have dinner after spending the day at the beach. A witness said that the two men bega…

Khama Worthy’s Ultimate Fighting Championship tenure got off to a spectacular start, but he was unable to maintain that momentum.

The lightweight competitor recently announced that he was released from the Las Vegas-based promotion in a post on his Instagram account. The 35-year-old known as “The Deathstar” went 2-3 in UFC competition.

“I just got word from my management team that I’ve been cut by the UFC,” Worthy wrote.

“…One door closes and another one opens, this lion still has the hunger in him, back on the hunt we go.”

Worthy’s Octagon debut came on less than a week’s notice, when he stopped Devonte Smith via technical knockout in the opening round at UFC 241. The Pittsburgh native followed that victory with a third-round submission of Luis Pena at UFC on ESPN 12. Since then, Worthy has suffered three consecutive first-round TKO defeats, falling to Ottman Azaitar, Jamie Mullarkey and Jai Herbert in succession.

Worthy is 16-9 over the course of a profes…

Max Holloway further strengthened his case for a trilogy bout against reigning featherweight king Alexander Volkanovski with a memorable performance in the UFC Fight Night 197 headliner on Saturday night.

Holloway emerged with a hard-fought five-round verdict over the returning Yair Rodriguez on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas for his second consecutive triumph. The Hawaiian standout shook off a strong start from Rodriguez — including numerous damaging low kicks — to gradually impose his will through multi-punch combinations, takedowns and clinch work. Rodriguez gave one final push in the fifth round, but it wasn’t enough to sway the scorecards in his favor.

“It’s one of the best fights I’ve ever seen,” UFC president Dana White said at Saturday’s post-fight press conference. “The fact that Yair was off for two years and comes in and puts on a performance like this, unheard of. It’s incredible.

“Then Max, I didn’t think he was going to make it out of the s…

Wasting NO time, @Pezao011 gets it done in under 1 minute

[ #UFCVegas42 | Main Card Live NOW on @ESPNPlus ] pic.twitter.com/a3W6Nb5C9S

— UFC (@ufc) November 13, 2021 There was no question that Marcos Rogerio de Lima had Ben Rothwell reeling prior to the bout’s stoppage during their co-main event clash at UFC Fight Night 197 on Saturday.

However, referee Herb Dean created some confusion when he appeared to step in and halt the heavyweight bout before backing off as de Lima battered his foe with power punches. After the veteran official’s near intervention, Rothwell dropped for a desperation takedown, only to pull de Lima on top of him. De Lima turned to Dean while in top position to indicate he was no longer attacking, and at that point, Dean officially called off the fight.

The manner in which the stoppage occurred drew some criticism from UFC president Dana White at the post-fight press conference.

“Herb needs to stop touchin…

A lightweight clash between Nasrat Haqparast and John Makdessi is in the works for an Ultimate Fighting Championship event on Feb. 19.

ESPN was first to report the matchup. The event does not yet have an official location or headliner.

Haqparast last appeared a UFC 266, where he had a two-bout winning streak snapped in a unanimous decision loss to Dan Hooker on Sept. 25. The 26-year-old Tristar Gym representative is 5-3 in UFC competition and 13-4 as a professional overall.

Makdessi, meanwhile, has been victorious in four of his last five UFC bouts. Most recently, “The Bull” garnered a split decision triumph against Ignacio Bahamondes at UFC on ABC 2 on April 10. Makdessi has fought once per year dating back to 2017.

What this sport's all about

Max and Yair share a moment after #UFCVegas42 pic.twitter.com/q5sdPPp1Wy

— UFC Canada (@UFC_CA) November 14, 2021 Neither Max Holloway nor Yair Rodriguez was able to attend the UFC Fight Night 197 post-fight press conference due to damage absorbed in their headlining bout, but that didn’t prevent the two featherweight contenders from sharing a post-fight moment.

Before Holloway and Rodriguez were transported to the hospital, they paid respects to each other once more and shared a photo-op inside Rodriguez’s ambulance.

Holloway defeated Rodriguez via unanimous decision at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, earning scorecards of 49-46, 48-47 and 48-47 from the cageside judges in a “Fight of the Year” candidate.

@BlessedMMA and @panteraufc both taking a ride to the hospital. Max climbed in to Yair’s ambulance to congratulate Yair for one of the best fights ever. pic.twitter.com/Sl8m9O75aC<…

These two left it all in the Octagon

@BlessedMMA & @PanteraUFC earn your FOTN honors.

[ B2YB @ToyoTires | #UFCVegas42 ] pic.twitter.com/1wNwMGX6x5 — UFC (@ufc) November 14, 2021

The UFC Fight Night 197 main event met the lofty expectations that preceded it, and both Max Holloway and Yair Rodriguez received some extra financial compensation as a result.

Holloway vs. Rodriguez was an easy choice for “Fight of the Night,” as both featherweights received $50,000 apiece for their five-round battle at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Saturday. Rodriguez pushed the former champ in the opening round and the final round, but in between, Holloway was able to effectively blend striking and grappling for a unanimous decision triumph — his second straight in the Octagon.

Elsewhere, Kalinn Williams garnered a $50,000 “Performance of the Night” check thanks to a technical knockout of Miguel Baeza in the featured welterweight clash. After de…

Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC, PFL, Dana White’s Contender Series and “The Ultimate Fighter” live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app. Max Holloway was all smiles after he passed one of the most difficult tests of his career. The former undisputed Ultimate Fighting Championship featherweight titleholder grinded through five amazing rounds with “The Ultimate Fighter Latin America” winner Yair Rodriguez and exited the Octagon with a unanimous decision in the UFC Fight Night 197 headliner on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. All three judges sided with Holloway (23-6, 19-6 UFC): 49-46, 48-47 and 48-47.

Leaving it all on the line

[ #UFCVegas42 | Main Card Live NOW on @ESPNPlus ] pic.twitter.com/sP1CvuphtX

— UFC (@ufc) November 13, 2021 Rodriguez (13-3, 8-2 UFC) made his intentions known after a two-year absence, as he targeted the Hawaiian’s base with repeated kic…

Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC, PFL, Dana White’s Contender Series and “The Ultimate Fighter” live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app. Sherdog's live UFC Fight Night 197 coverage will begin Saturday at 1 p.m. ET. Check out the MMA Forums to discuss the card or enter your comments and predictions below. Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Brian Knapp scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Brian Knapp scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Brian Knapp scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:The Official Result Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Brian Knapp scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Brian Knapp scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Roun…

Statement made by Joel Alvarez

[ #UFCVegas42 | LIVE on @ESPNPlus ] pic.twitter.com/Ck4myVEAEq

— UFC (@ufc) November 13, 2021 Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC, PFL, Dana White’s Contender Series and “The Ultimate Fighter” live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app. Joel Alvarez planted his flag in the Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight division and shoved Thiago Moises out of the way while doing so. The surging Spaniard discarded Moises with elbows and punches in the first round of their featured UFC Fight Night 197 prelim on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Moises (15-6, 4-4 UFC) met his end 3:01 into Round 1, as the former Resurrection Fighting Alliance champion lost for the second time in as many outings.

Alvarez (19-2, 4-1 UFC) bullied the American Top Team representative from start to finish, leaning on six-inch height and reach advantages. He backe…

Those who dare to stand and trade with Cristiane Justino do so at their own peril.

“Cyborg” retained the undisputed Bellator MMA women’s featherweight championship in resounding fashion, as she knocked out Sinead Kavanagh in the first round of their Bellator 271 headliner on Friday at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida. Kavanagh (7-5, 4-5 Bellator) bit the dust 92 seconds into Round 1, her name having been added to the Brazilian juggernaut’s long list of victims.

Justino (25-2, 4-0 Bellator) blitzed out of the gate, settled into the clinch and then drifted back to open space. The two women traded shots along the fence, and though Kavanagh circled out and connected, her chin could not withstand the return fire. Justino folded her with a clean right hook, trailed her to the canvas and drew the curtain with hammerfists.

Meanwhile, Sanford MMA export Linton Vassell won for the third time in as many outings, as he took a split decision from Tyre…

Max makes our Main Event official, coming in at 146 lbs

[ #UFCVegas42 | Tomorrow | Prelims 1 | Main Card 4 | Live on @ESPNPlus ] pic.twitter.com/mRR8CNV1Y5

— UFC (@ufc) November 12, 2021 Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app. Fighters are beginning to pay more for missing weight, with 30% fines coming out for those heavy by 1.5 pounds or more.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship returns with UFC Fight Night 197 this weekend, which features a high-stakes matchup between featherweight contenders Max Holloway and Yair Rodriguez.

While the headliners had no issue making weight, two prelim fighters failed to hit their agreed-upon weights. Joel Alvarez came in 1.5 pounds over the lightweight limit for his bout against Thiago Moises, and Liana Jojua came in 2.5 pounds heavy for her flyweight contest against Cortney Casey. Both mat…